2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Electrical Problems

NHTSA Safety Complaint To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Regarding: Vehicle Safety Hazard / Fraudulent Repairs on 2017 Chevrolet Silverado VIN: [XXX] To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to file an emergency vehicle safety complaint regarding a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, VIN [XXX], purchased on XXX. Huntley Ford performed unauthorized, fraudulent, and unsafe repairs that resulted in the vehicle being returned to me as an active fire hazard, directly violating federal motor vehicle safety expectations. Huntley Ford forced a salvage engine onto the vehicle, stripped me of my repair rights, and intentionally cleared dashboard error codes to mask severe, systemic mechanical defects. Following an engine replacement, transmission replacement, and catalytic converter replacement, I took the vehicle to Sunrise Chevrolet for inspection. The technician at Sunrise Chevrolet discovered that the vehicle was actively burning fluid onto the alternator. The technician explicitly stated that the vehicle was a fire hazard and that there was an emergency safety brake problem, and brakes. Huntley Ford knowingly delivered a structurally compromised and life-threatening vehicle. I request a full investigation into Huntley Ford’s repair safety practices to protect the public from further hazardous non-compliance. I have a 16 page paper trail Word document letter proving Huntley Ford committed auto fraud, has practiced illegal practices, lied, sold us a truck that they cleared codes, after only a few months full transmission, c. converter replacement, engine, and did not fix the truck properly still, returned it back to us when they knew it was not ok, lied, cleared codes, we brought our own scanner, they lied again, said the codes just needed to be cleared. When we notified [XXX], Huntley Ford's repair manager, he did nothing. Sincerely, [XXX]/[XXX] ________________________________________ INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11752824

Incident

Jan 7, 2026

Transmission issues that I have reported since 2 months into owning it. Anti-lock brake issues or braking issues where brake pedal is stiff but not stopping vehicle. Front grill shutter issues Temperature Transmission thermostat issues

NHTSA ID

11727786

Incident

May 15, 2018

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 on January 16, 2026. The contact stated that while an independent mechanic was attempting to repair the engine, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy with the vehicle. The vehicle was a private sale. The contact called the private dealer and requested the money back that was paid to purchase the vehicle, and the dealer declined the request. The contact called the State Attorney General's Office and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was approximately 182,000; it was later discovered that the correct mileage was 192,393.

NHTSA ID

11727214

Incident

Mar 12, 2026

Mileage

192,393 mi

Transmission failure at 120, 000 was replaced. Then factory thermostat went and then trickled down to the transmission. Got too hot and cooked the transmission. Come to find out it was also the radiator so that was replaced along with the thermostat and a second transmission. Put a transmission cooler on but still get very warm on the transaction fluid. Can't keep the temperature down in the summer while I'm towing. Trailer is well under the weight of the max capacity for the truck. And the latest problem I've had was to replace parts of the frame because that was rotted and beyond inspectable. Now I'm 14,000 in the negative with no reprieve. What is GM going to do for me as far as reimbursement? Cuz I still owe a little over $9,000 on the truck. This is ridiculous and I believe I'm going to another brand of truck when I can get out from underneath this one. I've been a Chevy owner my entire life and this is how you guys react to all your mistakes.

NHTSA ID

11723413

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

Trailer brake warning

NHTSA ID

11703403

Incident

Dec 6, 2025

The rear window of my 2017 Chevy Silverado exploded. I had the rear defrosters on, and they malfunctioned. I thought I smelled something hot before this happened. I am surprised this didn't cause a fire. I have researched this issue, and it appears to be an ongoing problem with the 2014 - 2019 Silverado and Sierra trucks. In fact, Canada has a recall on this issue, but the U.S. does not. Why is that?

NHTSA ID

11698915

Incident

Nov 11, 2025

After starting the vehicle. I heard a hissing noise coming from the rear of the cabin. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a large amount smoke rising from the box where the rear defroster power connects to the window. I immediately shut the vehicle off, got out and walked around the passenger side of the vehicle. As I approached the passenger rear door, the rear passenger window exploded with a Loud pop, shooting glass across the bed of the truck. I know there is currently a recall for this issue in Canada.

NHTSA ID

11694790

Incident

Oct 18, 2025

When driving all gauges go to zero, truck doesn’t illuminate which gear it’s in, warning lights come on (service 4WD, service stabilitrak, service traction control, reduced power steering, service traction control, service trailer brake system ). When NOT driving if these issues show on the dash when parked and the car doesn’t illuminate which gear it’s in, it does not crank over, does not start, there is no clicking noise either like if it was a bad starter. All the dash lights, gauges, radio goes black as if I turn the vehicle off instead of on. This has been happening since around 2020-2021 in Colorado. It was in a shop for over a month with no resolution. In Idaho in 2022-2024 in a shop for a month with no resolution, and now CA in 2025. No mechanic shop can figure out what is wrong, no “certified GM” shop or “certified GM engineer/technician can tell me what’s wrong. I have had the following replaced already and still having issues. Body Control Module (BCM), the Transfer Case control Module (TCCM), and the Brake Control Module (BCM).

NHTSA ID

11692403

Incident

Oct 2, 2025

Issue is based off of this service bulletin, but GM has failed to call a recall on this for coverage. I was driving my daughter to softball practice. Every few minutes there would be a "stabilitrak" message showing on the driving information area. Then in slower speeds my dashboard screen would blank out and then go back to CarPlay. Then once I approached a parking lot at slower speeds my vehicle lost total power and shut down. Then had to switching the gear to park, then turn off the ignition key, then wait a few seconds and turn the key on to start the truck. It started as normal and was able to park in the parking space. Very scary and this is a very serious issue, I could have been in an accident with my daughter. This has to be addressed, I can't be the only one having this issue.

NHTSA ID

11683378

Incident

Aug 26, 2025

Electronic brakes lock up during driving. No power going to rear wheels.

NHTSA ID

11671278

Incident

May 30, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving or while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while depress the horn, the horn failed to operate. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure started in 2023. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed and determined that the horn had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle had been repaired once. The horn was replaced the first time; however, with the current failure the horn was not yet replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.

NHTSA ID

11667710

Incident

Feb 15, 2025

Mileage

155,000 mi

Unknown system or component failure. Vehicle is available upon request to inspect. My families safety was at risk, power steering goes out while driving, all service lights come on, vehicle goes into “limp mode”, would go in and out of gear while driving, gears won’t work properly (P,R,D…), when shifting into R camera won’t come on. This problem is continuing. Have not been able to get it into dealership. Vehicle has not been inspected by police, dealership, or insurance. Stabilitrak notification, and all service lights go off. No problem or symptoms prior to failure. Vehicle was well maintained and I have service records of every repair, oil change, etc.

NHTSA ID

11662945

Incident

Feb 28, 2025

Electronics for hands free stopped working. This part was already replaced once. When backing up, the whole truck shut down. I restarted, it said to roll drivers side window down and up. Truck started up again. Few days later... returning from trip, lost power, windshield wipers came on, electronics in truck started blinking. Pulled over, rolled driver's side window up and down. started back on road. This has happened numerous times. Whenever I gave it extra gas, asking for power to pass, same thing mentioned above happened. Very stressful! Next day, hit a hole, truck totally shut down again. Husband was able to safely coast off road, however, if he had been pulling out at a major intersection, this could have been bad. Warning light that comes with shutdown says "stabltrack issue". I have not seen our dealer service department yet, but plan to very soon. VERY unsafe... and I love this truck!!!!

NHTSA ID

11657578

Incident

Apr 27, 2025

The AFM system is a faulty system that starved my lifters of oil and they ended up collapsing causing a flat spot on my cam. The engine code would come up as a misfire but the code is caused by the flat spot created on the cam by the lifter it's a faulty system that cost me $7,000. My 8spd transmission also has a hard shift from 1st to 2nd pushing the vehicle forward and jerking it when it shifts. The dealer and GM said this was natural with this type of transmissions which we now know is a lie.

NHTSA ID

11657123

Incident

Apr 27, 2025

At night when in reverse, the dash camera does not dim as the rest of the dash does. The screen is far too bright inside the passenger compartment and you cannot safely maneuver the vehicle. There is no manual adjustments available.

NHTSA ID

11642927

Incident

Feb 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while in a drive-through, he noticed a smoky odor. The contact stated that he looked through the rearview mirror and noticed that smoke was coming from the rear window of the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and inspected the rear window. The contact noticed an inch-long fire at the bottom of the rear window. The contact was able to blow the fire away. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, the rear window shattered. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire report was not filed. A police report was not filed. There was no injury sustained. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for the vehicle inspection. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the vehicle inspection was performed, and the diagnostic report was sent to the manufacturer for claim purposes. The contact was not provided with the diagnosis information. The manufacturer later informed the contact that the claim was denied after reviewing the facts of the case's capital investigation. The manufacturer referred the contact to the insurance company for assistance. The contact stated that he was afraid of driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,500.

NHTSA ID

11642613

Incident

Jan 26, 2025

Mileage

53,500 mi

I was parked at a gas pump, just got done fueling, hung hose up. I quickly ran into the gas station to grab a drink and as temps are 0°F, I remote started my vehicle from check out counter. When I returned to my vehicle the cab was filling with smoke. I sprung into action and quickly but safely drove away from gas pump with very little visibility, due to smoke, I assessed what was going on. Upon further investigating where the fire was coming from, I Could see the smoke was billowing from my rear window. As I Went to check on window heater that turns on automatically with remote start, the windows left panel exploded in my face from the outside of truck. Minor glass cuts, no major injuries. No insurance claims filed, no emergency services called as after I extinguished fire and turned off vehicle smoke seemed to have dissipated enough to safely get home 4 minutes away. As preventive messures I pulled the fuse to the rear window defroster so it is no longer getting power. This is seriously a safety hazard and thankfully I was able to pull away from gas pump. My truck, not so lucky. After looking into the issue when I got home, the US has NOT filed a recall on rear window defrosters for truck years 2014-2019. Canada DOES have a recall for this issue. As it has happened to me in the US in a very scary manor this needs to be addressed. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I was driving with kids in the rear seat. This needs to be taken care of and not at owners expense. Americans buy new vehicles to feel safe and secure. After owning my vehicle I have second thoughts about owning new, especially if a fire happens due to electronics built into the vehicle. I pray we can have this issue resolved to save all the innocent GM truck owners with families and friends who would also like to feel safe in their trucks. With temps this low in New England, I would like to be able to use my window defroster and have safer fields of view in icy/snowy conditions.

NHTSA ID

11640883

Incident

Feb 4, 2025

Rear defrost shorted and shattered the glass.

NHTSA ID

11639200

Incident

Jan 28, 2025

"Trailer Brake System Service" message continuously displays across the digital cluster menu while I drive.

NHTSA ID

11634418

Incident

Jan 6, 2025

2 times total electrical and engine failure while driving.

NHTSA ID

11633399

Incident

Dec 31, 2024

As I was driving I received a call while my phone was plugged in to the USB charging port and as I answered the call all the gauges on my dash, as well as the radio and all my warning lights shut off and turned back on and calibrated as if I first started the vehicle and reset. Then the radio and things wouldn't work. I had to pull over shut off the truck and restart it. This has happened 2 times already in less than as year I contacted the dealer and they really don't seem to care and keep putting me off or telling me they will call me which never happens. As of writing this still not fixed.

NHTSA ID

11621255

Incident

Aug 14, 2024

This is a complaint in regards to the trailer breaking system in my certified pre-owned 2017 Chevy Silverado that I purchased in April of this year, 2024. I purchased this truck in particular for its high ratings in safety and towing capabilities. (April- May 2024) While towing a 22ft trailer from Virginia to Washington state, there were several moments where the “service trailer braking system” alert would appear on the dash. Driving on the interstate for days on end is twice as stressful when you have to wonder if your trailer brakes are reliable. If the trailer brakes were to suddenly stop working it would be dangerous for me and my passengers, as well as those around me on the road. (Sept- Oct 2024) We aren’t towing a trailer anymore, but the “service trailer braking system” light has been going off every couple minutes.

NHTSA ID

11618248

Incident

May 10, 2024

I am filing a complaint regarding an electrical fire in the junction box of my 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500. The issue began when the front passenger side marker light would not turn off. I disconnected the battery overnight to troubleshoot the problem. However, when I reconnected the battery the next morning, an electrical fire occurred in the fuse junction box under the hood. At the same time, the engine unexpectedly attempted to turn over and start on its own. I immediately disconnected the battery again to stop the fire. Upon inspection, I found that several wires, plugs, and the top half of the junction box had sustained significant damage.

NHTSA ID

11616933

Incident

Sep 24, 2024

Engine shuts down on its own causing steering wheel to jerk and almost locks preventing control. Has been doing this for three weeks and is now getting much worse. Seems to do when making slow speed sharp turn. Almost hit another car in intersection yesterday due to steering control loss. I have seen numerous mentions of this on the internet but seems GM does not have a fix. The truck is now dangerous to drive as it can completely shut down in the middle of an intersection.

NHTSA ID

11615612

Incident

Sep 19, 2024

My vehicle radio goes crazy, but oddly the speedometer goes away as well. I was able to get it back by turning radio off completely, but this should be a recall issue. Please help.

NHTSA ID

11602784

Incident

Jul 6, 2024